Fast-Forward Program: PSVT:R Test Results and Analysis.

In this paper, we discuss the spatial visualization curriculum: Developing Spatial Thinking, endorsed by ENGAGE, and the Purdue Spatial Visualization Test: Rotation test results from participants in an NSF S-STEM-funded sophomore bridge program for engineering majors, known as the Engineering Fast-Forward Program. This paper also discusses the impact the spatial visualization curriculum has had on the students in the Fast-Forward program. The Fast-Forward program, which has been offered every summer from 2017 to 2021, is designed for students who have unmet financial needs which are determined by the financial aid office on campus. This program seeks to retain students in engineering programs as well as increase the number of people in the engineering workforce. Participants in the Engineering Fast-Forward Program take Statics and Mechanics of Materials, Calculus III, and Professional Planning with Spatial Visualization in the summer before their sophomore year. These classes normally taken in the Fall of their Sophomore years give the students an opportunity to get a head start in their Sophomore curriculum. Professional Planning with Spatial Visualization is a course where students are taught from the Developing Spatial Thinking curriculum as well as participating in other professional development activities such as resume building, mock interviews, and industry visits. The participants take the Purdue Spatial Visualization: Rotations (hereafter referred to as the PSVT:R) as a pre and post-assessment in the course. Statistical analysis is completed using the results from these tests including data from all five summers. The statistical analyses included: paired sample t-tests, independent sample t-tests, and repeated measure ANOVA tests. The goal of the analysis was to see if students from traditionally underrepresented groups (URG) had a higher level of improvement on the PSVT:R than students from non-underrepresented groups (non-URG). For the purpose of the statistical analysis of this work requiring similar sample sizes for the two groups, non-URG students are White and Asian males with URG students being the students from the cohorts identifying with any other demographic descriptions. The results of the statistical analysis show a statistical significance from pre to post results for all of the students. URG and non-URG students' scores are increasing from pre- to post-test at the same rate. However, URG students start and end with lower scores than the non-URG students. We conclude that the Developing Spatial Thinking curriculum is improving the spatial visualization skills of all students, yet is unfortunately not closing the gap between the two groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]